Overseas Alumni Association of Dalian University of Technology

Great Prospects in Computer Science at DUT
A Trip Report by Qian Tang, a DUT alumnus in USA
November 23, 20000

Recently I took a personal trip to visit my parents and Dalian University of Technology. Before I departed for China, Dr. Zhu Yi Zu, Dr. Wang Wenhua and I had a discussion regarding Computer Science in DUT.

During October 23 and November 3, 2000, I was honor to talk to President Cheng Gengdong and Secretary Lin Anxi. Also I had an extensive discussion with leaders and teachers in Department of Computer Science and Engineering. I was advised by my father, former President Qian Lingxi. I visited Education Innovation Practice Center. I attended a seminar Software Engineering Framework by Professor Wang Yifu, an assistant of Professor Yang Fuqing in Peking University. These activities impressed me deeply: DUT leaders and faculty are determined to reach high-level personnel training, high-level scientific research, and high-tech consultation in Computer Science and inter-disciplines.

The following news show what prospects in Computer Science are or will be at DUT.

  1. At the end of October 2000, National Academic Degree Committee of the State Council had a meeting to discuss the academic degree conferment. DUT has been authorized to confer PhD Degrees in the five areas:

    This is a great break through in IT area at DUT. It will promote research, teaching and recruitment of young staff members. This academic progress is so important that inspires faulty and staff members in Department of Computer Science and Engineering to improve their teaching, research, and management level.

  2. DUT, with Laoning Province, is going to establish a special school called "Software School" at the end of this year. This school is open to public. It is essential to indicate that DUT抯 interest would be in today抯 market of software, Internet and networking, not just Computer Science discipline. Software School also advances Department of Computer Science and Engineer to a higher level in academy research and teaching. Prospective students may be dual-degree students from other majors in DUT or IT professionals seeking new skills. The management could be the board system (Li3 Shi Zhi4). The board also is called "Corporation" (She4 Tuan2). In other words, the management members may be successful enterpriser and designated professors, beside faculty in DUT. The teaching team may consist of faculty inside and outside DUT as well as selected professionals. Software School offers outstanding bachelor and master degree level courses as well as professional courses for students to prepare professional careers in underlying enabling technologies. Software School provides prominent academic and research programs. This is encompassed by frontier subjects in software R&D, Internet, Networking, E-commerce Technology, etc. DUT leaders have promised that DUT will promote everything is these core aspects:

    DUT resolutely makes Software School be a nationally recognized leader in economic and business incubation initiatives.

  3. DUT and COMPAQ are negotiating to reach an agreement for a donation of 5 million RMB from COMPAQ to DUT. This donation will initiate and accelerate DUT e-commerce project development. Through e-commerce projects, DUT will establish dynamic relationships with the industrial sectors. E-commerce project implementation will make DUT play an influential role in the development of national economy. On the other hand, economic effects or benefit results will allow DUT to strengthen itself construction in Computer Science related areas.

  4. DUT has recently established Education Innovation Practice Center (Chuang4 Ye4 Zhong1 Xing1) for faulty and students to start IT related projects and enterprises. This center is located in a newly constructed building at the gate of West Hill. In such a designed working shop, faculty and students will be more productive and more creative. Headed by Professor Qian Kunming, "Relativity and the Universe" multimedium project was awarded the 8th International Mobius Prize (Paris 2000). This project has attracted many bright students. Investors, including foreign investors, are interested in some of prospective projects and have high expectation on this IT development zone (garden) since it will benefit both DUT and investors.

Together, these four programs allow DUT faculty, students, and industrial partners to jointly pioneer new innovations and seek creative solutions to complex technological and academic challenges. University leaders are personally charging these programs. It has long been DUT traditions to emphasize the great importance to carrying out scientific research work to support the economic development. In dynamic Computer Software industry and Information Technology areas, DUT now faces rigorous and relentless challenges. However, challenges and opportunities co-exist. DUT hopes that overseas alumni can contribute themselves to DUT on these opportunities. Here I am summarizing what DUT alumni can do for DUT into six aspects:

  1. DUT asks oversea alumni for help to invite 2 to 3 well-known young professors (either foreign professor or oversea Chinese professor) in a board spectrum of Computer Science to lecture on the cusp fields for 20-30 days. It is required that the lecturers provide their lecture notes, presentation materials, etc.
  2. DUT invites DUT overseas alumni, majoring or engaging in Computer Science, to give seminar.
  3. DUT supports a remote education through Internet technology so those oversea capable alumni are able to advise/supervise MS degree students in Computer Science. In order to do this, we must establish a secured web site for academic exchange and information share.
  4. DUT encourages oversea alumni to bring e-commerce projects to DUT for development.
  5. DUT expects oversea alumni to apply for positions at DUT.
  6. DUT welcome constructive suggestions from oversea alumni.

To advance DUT in Computer Science to a higher level is imperative (Shi4 Zai4 Bi4 Xing2). President Cheng Gengdong said that DUT would fully sponsor the activities and hope alumni support her mother university. DUT will allocate special fund for the activities and present reasonably high honorarium for the invited lecturers or professors. The honorarium could pay for their accommodation, international trip and pocket money.

DUT said it and will do it.

Dear alumni, do what we could think of for DUT and together make DUT changed. If you have any idea or you are interested in any of the above issues, please contact to the following alumni:

Qian Tang qian_tang@hotmail.com 770-416-7110

Zhu Yizi yizuzhu@yahoo.com 781-862-0953

Wang Wenhua whwang18@hotmail.com 718-393-1088

By the way, DUT has broken ground on a gymnasium or sport center (Ti3 Yu4 Guan3) next to Foreign Expert Exchange Center (Zhuan2 Zhao2).

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